Oxford is the historic university city, famed for its dreaming spires and quiet quadrangles of the colleges. With numerous museums and theatres, shopping centres, cafes and restaurants it is a great place to visit.

Oxford

The poets Matthew Arnold certainly knew what he was talking about when he described Oxford as that sweet city with her dreaming spires.  A magnificent mix of ancient architecture and youthful buzz, Oxford is famous throughout the world as the City of Dreaming Spires.

Its city centre of mellow, golden stone is shaped largely by the graceful Oxford colleges, most of which open their shady quadrangles, chapels and halls to visitors in the afternoons. The names of the colleges suggest centuries of patient learning behind the quiet quadrangles - Magdalen, is the most beautiful, Christ Church the noblest, but then there's Corpus Christi, All Souls, Trinity, Balliol, Merton...

The University adds more major attractions. These include the Bodleian Library, dating from 1427, Sir Christopher Wren’s Sheldonian Theatre, Britain’s oldest Botanic Garden, founded in 1621, and five free museums of international acclaim covering the arts, science, natural history, anthropology and music. Visitors should also allow time for The Christ Church Picture Gallery, cutting edge installations at Modern Art Oxford, the Museum of Oxford, the 11th-century Oxford Castle complex and former prison site, Oxford Castle Unlocked and some stunning bird’s eye views from historic high-points such as Carfax Tower.

Shopping is a popular Oxford pastime, with two covered malls - The Clarendon Centre and Westgate - and a terrific range of shops from high street names to  countless designer and speciality shops dotted about the main streets and down the many alleys and side roads. 

In Broad Street, you'll find world-famous Blackwell's bookshop, Oxford's biggest. It's been selling books since 1879 and has over 200,00 titles in stock. The 18th Covered Market is great for browsing round, independent establishments in Little Clarendon Street and chic fashion outlets on The High.

From Easter to October, visitors also love to while away a dreamy hour picnicking or walking in Christ Church Meadow, punting or rowing on the River Cherwell or taking a trip along the Isis - the Oxford stretch of the River Thames.

In Oxford, culture and entertainment abound. Boards propped in college doorways announce lunch-time talks, concerts and recitals while evenings offer music, theatre, comedy and cinema for the most lively or traditional tastes. For lunch or dinner, there are more than enough pubs, restaurants and bistros to please every palate, ranging in style from haute cuisine to Tolkien’s favourite student pub.

Travellers arriving by train find Oxford compact and easy to explore. Open-top bus tours start at the station and guided walking tours from the Tourist Information Centre follow a variety of themes from The University & City Tour to Inspector Morse or set-jetting through locations made familiar in Harry Potter, The Golden Compass and other blockbusters of the big screen.

A choice of excellent guest houses, a youth hostel and prestigious hotels caters for everyone's budget for an overnight stay.

Further information: Visit Oxford website or pop into The Oxford Tourist Information Centre, 15 – 16 Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3AS.